


Deserves A Quiet Night

by seki



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-06
Updated: 2017-08-06
Packaged: 2018-12-11 22:14:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11723655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seki/pseuds/seki
Summary: There are good ideas and bad ideas, and there are memories and futures, and sometimes, all you have is right now.For Day 8 of Ignoct week 2017, free prompt.





	Deserves A Quiet Night

The Vesperpool is deep, and wide, and in the centre the water is so clear that it's possible to see the sun hitting the stony bottom. The central dock, accessible only on chocoboback, seems to be fast becoming one of Noctis's favoured fishing spots.

The problem is that there's very little for the rest of them to do while Noctis fishes. By mutual accord, none of them wants to stop Noctis from fishing -- it's one of the few indulgences he has, and in Ignis's opinion it seems to be good for his mental health -- but it's unfortunate that Noctis seems to have decided on a spot that has such abysmal phone signal. The rest of them can't even sneak in a few games of King's Knight.

Prompto stuffs his magazine back into his backpack. "Alright, I'm officially bored."

"Mm." Gladio flips a page in his novel. "Shoulda bought more to read."

"Yeah, I guess." Prompto hooks his fingers together, stretches his arms up above his head before slumping back against his chocobo's side. "How long d'ya reckon Noct's going to be this time?"

Worth asking. "Noct?"

"Huh?"

"Another all-nighter?"

"Uh -- yeah, maybe? The guy said there's this Spotted Gar around here, I _really_ wanna land one. Not sure it comes out until later, though." Noctis's attention is mostly on his line, not on the three of them. "You guys don't mind?"

Ignis holds in his sigh, and just raises his eyebrows at Prompto instead.

"Of course not," Prompto says, despite the expression on his face. "But, uh. Getting kind of tired here."

Gladio grunts, folds down the corner of the page he's on -- which, as always, makes Ignis wince internally -- and drops his book. "Whaddya say we leave him to it? I'd like to sleep under canvas tonight."

"I'm not leaving Noct on his own," Ignis says. "We're supposed to be looking after him, if you recall."

"The haven's only a 30 second sprint from the shore. He's got a chocobo. He'll be fine."

"Even so." Ignis gestures in the vague direction of the haven. "I'll stay. There's food in the trunk of the Regalia. I'm sure you can manage."

"Fine."

Noctis watches the two chocobos swim off shorewards, reels in and casts out his line again, and only then turns to Ignis. "Too boring for them, huh?"

"I fear so." Ignis stretches out his legs into the space now vacated, and picks up his own magazine again. "I, on the other hand, have a relatively high tolerance for times when I am not fighting or listening to the rest of you squabble."

"Ha."

"How goes the hunt, anyway?"

"Enh." Noctis gestures to the large cooler filled with ice, which they've established as the best solution available to them for Noctis's catches. "I've got a couple of barramundi, but everything else has been catch-and-release stuff really."

Ignis consults his watch. "They may have all the equipment, but I dare say I can recall enough of my scoutsmanship to have a makeshift fire up by sunset. I can grill those for us, for dinner. Since you're set on fishing through the night."

That makes Noctis's face brighten, as Ignis had expected. "Really?"

"Certainly." Ignis sniffs. "I have no intention of starving, and even less of starving you."

It requires a few quick forays out to the nearby islets to fetch sufficient fuel for a small fire. Thankfully there's been clear weather recently, so finding dry wood and kindling is relatively simple. And building up the fire keeps Ignis busy.

Noctis, meanwhile, placidly casts and recasts his line. Ignis glances over a few times; Noctis pulls in fishes with impressive regularity, and seems content to let loose all his captures. Ignis doesn't pretend to understand the appeal of this, but it's not really his business. Perhaps they're all too small, or Noctis doesn't think they're appetising. Or perhaps it's merely that they have sufficient for dinner, and too many more is a waste.

Noctis reels in his line and leaves his rod on the dock as he joins Ignis for dinner. The fillets are grilled, simply, over the fire, speared on Ignis's thinnest stilletto daggers. It's one of the most basic meals Ignis has produced for them in a long time, but Ignis hopes it will be palatable.

"Oh, god, that's good," Noctis says, with the first bite.

Ignis tries, and has to agree. Juicy, flaked fish that falls apart when bitten into, a splendid tribute to what can be produced without even seasoning. "And to think those two are likely settling for Cup Noodles tonight," he says.

"Idiots." Noctis has his hand cupped under the skewered fish, takes another enthusiastic bite of it. "Though, um. I think I got my times mixed up for this fish I wanted? Pretty sure it's a sunriser, not a night one."

"Ah. Though I expected we'd be here until morning anyway."

"I mean, if you want, we can go back to the haven. I'll get up early and come back here."

Ignis just lets his eyebrows rise upwards at that ridiculous idea.

"--or, no, okay. Never mind. You're right. All-nighter it is."

"I'm quite comfortable here," Ignis says, and it's not a lie. It's peaceful, and the scenery is good, and it feels safe. Their chocobos are sprawled out quite contentedly, now they've had their greens, and make good backrests. Those are all very comforting things. 

Noctis takes another bite, and the rest of the fish falls off the dagger and into his hand. He shrugs, sends the stilletto back to the armory, and eats the rest of the fish out of his own palm inelegantly, pulling a few stray bones out of his teeth along the way. Ignis smiles, amused. The Crown Prince of Lucis -- the _King_ , now -- eating like a feral creature of some sort, and in truth it suits Noctis more than high state banquets and formal manners would.

"Mm. Man, I could eat another of those."

"Shame you didn't provide me with sufficient to oblige you."

"Pfft, fine, blame me." Noctis wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. "But I'm serious. The fish isn't gonna bite until morning."

"Perhaps I'll nap." Ignis pats his chocobo on the rump. "I've a good pillow, right here."

"Hey, no, if you nap I will, then I'll miss my shot."

That seems unfair, but also very likely. "What do you suggest, then?"

Noctis looks out across the water, to their north, and then grins. 

\--

Ignis hasn't skinny-dipped in… well. A year, almost exactly.

The gulf of water that divides Cavaugh from Lucis has little black-sand beaches that are quite popular with families in the summer. As a result, they have little car parking areas, public showers, shelters -- the infrastructure that forms around any place where people go to frolick in the water.

Cavaugh Sound's water is warmish even into the night. Something to do with the geology, apparently. Ignis has made quite a lot of evening trips with fellow Citadel or Crownsguard members, leading to slightly boozy barbecues and then competitions to swim out to the nearest buoys and back, or to leap in off the docks. After a few hours, under cover of night, there'll be both men and women, underwear left with their shoes and shirts on the shore, splashing about quite heedless of their nudity.

One can grow accustomed to quite unlikely things, given enough, ahem, exposure. So when Noctis suggests a swim, it doesn't seem _that_ scandalous an idea. It's reasonably dark and very isolated. There's a moon, hanging low in the sky, providing enough light to see by, so they won't need additional lamps or torches. It's not until Noctis is naked and testing the water with a toe that Ignis suddenly thinks, oh. Oh dear. Perhaps he's miscalculated here. Swimming in a big group of people is one thing. Swimming, alone in the moonlight, with one's very attractive friend and charge, lends the atmosphere a different sort of tone entirely.

The Vesperpool's water is cool, and Noctis shivers a little as the water reaches his torso, before wading in deeper. Ignis follows him, pushing away the sudden burst of uncertainty in his gut. It's fine. This is not a terrible idea. Once Noctis is shoulder-deep in water, Ignis won't be able to sneak looks at his body any more, for a start. And the water is cold enough to quell any reaction he might be starting to have.

"Feels nice," Noctis says, and he seems to be at a point where the bottom has dropped away enough for him to float more. "You ever do this before?"

"Swim? Yes."

"So not what I meant, and you know it."

Ignis smiles, and leans back and lets his feet drift closer to the surface. "I've swum in the Sound many a time. Clothing is usually optional."

"Huh." Noctis splashes outwards, a motion that carries him a little further away. "I went to the lake in Cellum Park once. A few of us did, from class. I was the only one who took my shorts with me."

Interesting. Since no rumours of this escapade have gotten back to Ignis, presumably they were all discreet enough about the trip. "And you felt you missed out?"

"A little bit, I guess." Noctis is treading water now, from the looks of it. "I don't think I'd want to try this in front of Gladio though. Getting a little tired of being called weedy."

"If it were true, he wouldn't joke about it."

"All the same." Noctis tenses, and then ducks under the water completely. He surfaces a couple of seconds later and shakes his head, spraying water around him. "Shit, that's cold. Ugh."

A faint splashing sound behind them draws Ignis's attention, and then, to his amusement, he realises their chocobos have come to join them. Noctis's grey bird comes gliding past Ignis, stately and silent, and then Ignis's own mount paddles up to Ignis and nudges at him, gently, as if checking on her rider.

"Aw," Noctis says, grinning widely. "Momma's worried for her chick."

"I think it's more concern for their future meals." Ignis gives his lady a brief scritch under the chin, and then pushes out into the depths over by Noctis. "Although it's nice to know we can get a tow back to shore if needs be."

Ignis treads water, watches as the chocobos swim slow and lazy circles around them. Good. That's an additional protection for them. Should there be a hint of danger, their chocobos have displayed enough protective tendencies in the past for Ignis to suspect they'll rescue their riders before fleeing.

"Alright," Noctis says, from close enough behind Ignis to make him jump, a little. "Come on, if we're gonna swim, let's _swim_. See that rock there?"

The rock Noctis means is, Ignis realises after a few minutes, quite a distance away. Noctis has downgraded his optimistic front crawl into a more leisurely breaststroke by the time he makes it to the shore, and Ignis is some way behind and has fallen back on sloppy underwater doggy paddling.

"Geez," Noctis says, and he hauls himself up, out of the water. "You're slow."

"Didn't fancy wearing myself out," Ignis says. "Since you've forbidden sleep tonight."

Noctis holds out a hand as Ignis approaches, and then helps Ignis clamber up so he can sit by Noctis on the rock. It's smooth enough to not be uncomfortable, at least, and low enough that their legs are still submerged to mid-calf. Ignis stares at the chocobos paddling their slow way towards them, because that way he's not looking at _Noctis_ , his skin wet and shiny in the bluish light.

"Ahh." Noctis plants his hands just behind him, leans back, shakes his head so it sprays droplets again. "I could stand to do this more often."

"Swim naked in the great outdoors? Perhaps not the most ideal habit for a future King, Noct."

Noctis shifts his weight, makes a waving, dismissive gesture with one hand. "I'll just build really big walls around my gardens, stick in a lake."

"Ah, I see. Secluded nudity."

"Yup."

Ignis pushes his own wet hair out of his face. "Frame it as wholesome exercise, and I'm sure it'll be regarded as mere eccentricism."

"That's what you're here for, to make my terrible decisions sound almost sensible." Noctis leans over, puts his hand on Ignis's knee in what Ignis knows, despite the sudden arresting of his heart and breath, is a thoughtless gesture of cameraderie. "It's why you're my favourite."

"A heavy burden to lay on anyone's shoulders."

Noctis grins. "Alright. Joint favourite." He leans back again, takes his hand off Ignis's bare skin. The absence is both a relief and a disappointment. "I'm surprised you said yes to this."

"That is because you seem to think I'm a fuddy-duddy."

Noctis laughs. "Only sometimes. Prompto and I were playing _I have never_ recently and I bet the two of us together still drink less than you would."

"'I have never'?"

"You know. You name a thing you've never done, and if the other person's done it they take a drink or do a dare or something. Except with me and Prompto it's more like, we both list things, then get depressed at how we've done basically nothing."

Ignis smiles. "Ah. Confession games. I remember those."

"One of the things neither of us had done was swim naked," Noctis adds. "Made me think of a lot of things I wanted to do, someday."

It's probably unintentional, but it reminds Ignis of the prophecies. If they're right, then Noctis might never get the chance to do a lot of things. "Have you made some sort of list?"

Noctis glances over, and nods.

"What else is on it?"

"Uh -- all sorts of things. Catching all the fishes I'd never get a chance to in Insomnia. Travelling. Meeting Luna again."

All things within Noctis's grasp, then. Smart of him.

"Going on dates," Noctis says, and it sounds wistful. "But, well."

Ignis feels a jab of sympathy, but isn't sure what to say. Anyone Noctis might have liked back in Insomnia is likely either dead or a refugee.

"Ah, never mind." Noctis sits up again. "I can't have everything, right?"

"I'm sorry."

"Ignis? Don't be sorry."

A pause.

"There is one thing," Noctis says, and he's staring out at the moonlit surface of the lake. "I mean. If you wanted to help me."

"Of course."

Noctis turns, then, and inspects Ignis's face. It's an odd moment, assessing, with Noctis's eyes flitting between Ignis's eyes and lips, and then Noctis leans in. 

Ignis, unblinking, unmoving, frozen in surprise. Noctis is going to kiss him, here, as they sit naked and wet on a rock in the middle of a lake at night, and there are so many reasons for it to be impossible and ridiculous that Ignis can't believe it's going to happen.

Noctis doesn't land the kiss that seemed inevitable at the start of the movement, seemingly changing his mind when his lips are within an inch of Ignis's, drawing back and looking away again. "Um. Never mind."

"You're getting married," Ignis says, summoning up his voice a few heartbeats later.

"I… yeah, I know."

A long silence, Noctis staring out into the lake, Ignis staring at Noctis's profile. Has Noctis wanted to kiss him for a while? Or merely to kiss a man? Or is this a whim, one last fling of kissing _anyone_ before his wedding?

"Forget it," Noctis says, and then he's pushing off, sliding back into the water. "Come on."

Ignis, bemused, follows Noctis back to the docked islet, his mind turning over the concept of Noctis nearly kissing him. Noctis being _willing_ to nearly kiss him, there being desire and interest in such a thing. How long has Noctis been entertaining the notion? Or is it merely a desire to kiss _someone_ , and the precise identity of the person is unimportant?

"Sorry," Noctis says, once they're back on dry land again, as he picks up his clothing. "That wasn't cool of me. I shouldn't have put you on the spot like that."

"Noct--"

"Don't worry, I'm not gonna do it again."

Ignis, exasperated, steps into Noctis's personal space, plants a hand on Noctis's bare chest. "I didn't say _no_ , Noct."

Noctis looks down at Ignis's hand, then up at his face. "I--"

The syllable opens his mouth, just enough that when Ignis kisses him he's met with soft, pliant lips. Noctis doesn't pull away this time. It's a long, slow kiss, into which Ignis pours about three years of latent attraction and curiosity about what kissing Noctis would be like, and then it ends.

"--oh." Noctis's face is flushed, his eyes hooded with arousal, his hands on Ignis's upper arms. They're still naked, so his erection is pressing directly into Ignis's thigh. "Wow."

Ignis allows himself to press one final soft kiss to Noctis's lower lip before stepping back. "There. Another item on your list completed."

That gets him a confused, uncertain look.

Well then. Time to find something else to focus on.

"I'll get the fire going again." Ignis crouches, and regards the remains of the fire critically. It shouldn't be too hard, if he can find more tinder, to get enough of a blaze going to dry them off somewhat before they have to get dressed. Dry clothes over wet skin isn't very pleasant.

"Wait." Noctis's hand, on Ignis's shoulder. "Is that it?"

"Pardon?"

"You're gonna kiss me like that and then just, just _pretend_ it didn't happen? Didn't matter?"

Ignis looks over his shoulder, up into Noctis's frowning face. "As opposed to what, exactly?"

"I… um."

"Quite." Ignis turns his attention back to the ashes. "I'd like us not to catch a chill."

He has to venture over to another islet to find more wood, while Noctis sits and pokes around his baitbox in an obvious attempt to distract himself. Riding a saddled chocobo while naked is… interesting, though not an experience Ignis wants to have to repeat, but it earns him an armful of dry deadwood. Once he has the flames going, Noctis comes over and sit next to Ignis and stretches out his hands to the warmth.

"Specs," Noctis says, and he's frowning, "if I wasn't getting married--"

"Let's not dwell on might-have-beens, hm?"

"But. I mean. I would have, with you, just so you know."

Ignis dips his head, acknowledging this as a possibility.

"I still would, honestly." Noctis is watching him, now. "I mean. Maybe not here."

"In the middle of the Vesperpool, with an audience of chocobos? No." Ignis can't quite bring himself to meet Noctis's gaze. "And you're still to be wed."

"You think that changes how I feel?"

The implication, there, is that Noctis's feelings are involved, and so Ignis's pulse skips with foolish delight. "Shouldn't it?"

Noctis's hand touches his wrist. "Maybe. But I still… wish I could. Don't you?"

"Yes."

Noctis's hand shifts, and after a moment Ignis realises that it's an invitation for him to hold Noctis's hand. They sit there for some time, staring into the fire, and Ignis is hyper aware of every little twitch of Noctis's fingers against his.

Even this, he thinks, is inadvisable. They can't do this, can't pursue any attraction between them, can't see where this might lead.

All the same.

He holds on tight, and hopes.

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, this is inspired by REM's Nightswimming, and it's the closest thing to a songfic I've ever written.
> 
> This is the last thing I'm contributing to Ignoct week! I've had a great week and managed to fill two more days that I thought I would. I hope you've all had a great Ignoct week too. :)


End file.
